Joan Chittister, O.S.B., is a member of the Mount Benedict Monastery in Erie, PA. She edits “The Monastic Way,” a monthly periodical of daily meditations, and is the author of several books, including The Story of Ruth, Twelve Moments in Every Woman’s Life; The Friendship of Women: A Spiritual Tradition; and Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today.